Quote by — Margaret Mead

"Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals. "
 

Cheryl ~ Day 72

We get to decide who we become.  We all come from different places, circumstances and families, however where we end up and the path we take is determined by what we are willing to put into our lives.  There are those that are born into great situations, however, what they do from there is up to the choices they make.  Likewise there are those that are born into less than perfect situations and make choices that shape and change not only their lives, yet those of lives around them.  We may not get to decide where, when and to which family we are born, however we do have the power to make choices and those choices shape our lives.  Each day we can reflect on our day and recognize that what we have done and what we can do differently the next day.  Happiness, success, peace, security are all the result of our choice we make and where we allow life to take us.  In any given moment you can alter the path you are on and redefine where your life is taking you.  Our life wasn’t meant to be lived on cruise control, it was meant to be an interactive course that allows us to navigate the path we are on and where we end up.  This is my inspired thought today.

From Inspired Thoughts...Kim --Day 339; 26 to Go

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“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” Ovid

A much needed day off today. Even though it was a busy day with teaching a class at church, visiting Grandma, and a little baking (just because I had a major chocolate craving) it was a break from the normal day where I have a revolving front door with kids coming and going (not to mention the revolving refrigerator door). The highlight, I must say was a little Lifetime movie action with a plot slow and predictable enough that I could also squeeze in a little nap. I am grateful for the rest and relaxation and recharged for the week that lies ahead.

Derry Ink News Link: Ripple Effect: 'Attitude of Gratitude' propels magazine launch

Derry Ink News Link: Ripple Effect: 'Attitude of Gratitude' propels magazine launch

Always See The World Through That Of A Child

“What was wonderful about childhood is that anything in it was a wonder was a wonder. It was not merely full of miracles; it was a miraculous world” ~ G. K. Chesterton

I remember thinking about being a parent and never feeling that I was cut out to be one. I have 3 younger siblings that I use to help babysit in the summer and I really felt that I was more the career person. Corporate America was more the life I wanted to live. I had friends that had children and loved playing with them yet I was convinced that parenthood wasn’t for me. Regardless there I was a few years later expecting a baby girl. Over the 9 months I was her only companion I grew very close to that little person that had yet to enter the world. I imagined all the things we would do together and all the potential she would have. In less than a month that little girl will turn 18 and I love her more today than I ever imagined. G.K. Chesterton is so right; childhood can be a time lived in a miraculous world for many. It is a time that anything is possible. However, I must say I do somewhat disagree. I am 43 and I still feel it is a miraculous world. While the world may be filled with some painful events there are others miracles happening around us. Foundations like Vitamin Angles, Tom’s Shoes, The Get In Touch Foundation to name a few are giving back, educating and making a difference. In a discussion with our friend Sandra with Angel Energy yesterday we were discussing the shift in the world towards making a positive change. Individuals like these organizations and countless other individuals that make it there life work to make the world we are living in a better place not just today, but also for the next generation are creating a miraculous world. So I say that when we look for the beauty in the world, when we set out to make a difference, when we surround ourselves with individuals like Angel Energy we are living in a miraculous world regardless of our age. In this moment we are creating beauty.

Why Not Me?

Eleven years ago this month I had a good friend, Diana, die from cancer. She was 31 years old and left behind a husband, two little boys and a 7-month old baby girl. I don’t know why she came to my mind today. Maybe it was because I found myself for an instant, wondering, “why me?” I don’t like when people say that and I especially don’t let my self dwell on that question for more than an instant. I think that is because of Diana. When she first told me she had cancer she said she came across a lot of people who were asking, “Why me?” She told me, “Of all the people who get sick and get cancer, why not me?” Everyone has something hard to bear at different times in their lives. The next time something wonderful happens to me and goes especially well, it is then that I want to ask, “Why me!”

“Life lives, life dies. Life laughs, life cries. Life gives up and life tries. But life looks different through everyone's eyes.” – unknown.

It Looks Different When We Get There

"Being a senior in high school is the best.  You are at the top, almost an adult but still get to do all the fun things living at home." ~ Cassie Nordyke

My daughter loved the idea of growing up.  The thought of entering her senior year of high school was filled with enthusiasm and anticipation.  While she is loving this year and all the fun that comes with it there is a different light that is shining that she didn't anticipate.  That of responsibility and of growing up.  With that comes letting go.  The plans of Halloween in our home are always fun, there is a party and trick or treating what is not to love.  Then when she and her friends went out to actually trick or treat the realization that they are too old came in.  The fun of Halloween as a child is behind them until someday they have children.  It is true we live our childhood again in some aspects through our children.  However, this morning she had a look of sadness and the view of being all grown up seemed so different once she started to reach it.  We spend our lives living towards things and miss moments we are living in.  Goals and dreams are so important and we must all have them, however, we have to learn how to live in this moment, love this moment and all it has to offer for it may never be ours again and the one thing my daughter reminded me of is that "It looks different when you get there"

We Decide Our Tomorrow

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” ~ Flora Whittemore

Over the past 20 years I have read many books on the subjects of self help, spiritual enlightenment, finding your purpose, and knowing who you are.  I can honestly say each one had something to offer and some insight I had failed to realize.  Yet now reflecting on them all, I realize they were all saying the same thing in a million different ways.  We are connected somehow; so don’t tear anyone down. We are all where we are because of our life choices so stop blaming yourself or others.  We can each change our tomorrow so just decide to do it and get it done.  Even today as I type these words I realize it sounds so simple, yet we have learned these habits that teach us to blame others for our own circumstances.  We learn, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” or ask ourselves what is the point in improving since my life isn’t that bad.  Bottom line is this: they are only habits and just as we learned those we can learn new ones.  I can learn something new regardless of my age. I can change the way I view life and find the good in it. I can be the person I was meant to be.  No, this won’t change yesterday, however, it will begin to move you closer to being the person you were meant to be and farther away from being the person you promised you never would be.  Your tomorrow is your choice and you decide slowly and surely what you want it to be and make it that.

Courtesy of "But What Do We Know"

The Price Of Expectations

“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.” ~ H. L. Hunt

I have a friend that hasn’t spoken to his mother in years.  In discussing with him as to why, I discovered the reason.  His stepfather made a scene at his wedding and his mother had never apologized for what happened.  Years had gone by and he decided he would call her and talk to her.  I indicated he might want to not have expectations; just hello, how are you and see where it goes.  He called and as they talked he pologized, then waited. His mother never mentioned the wedding or an apology.  He felt angry that he had made the effort to call to apologize and then she didn’t.  I asked him what happened to my suggestion to have no expectations.  He said he had none; he did though.  He expected her to apologize and when she didn’t he became angry.  Love is the one thing we give and if we can do so without expectation the world will amaze us.  If we have expectations, the world will surely disappoint us.  We try so hard to change our habits and traits and if we can’t, how can we change the world?   Your parents will make mistakes and if you become parents you too will make mistakes.  Decide if you want to love without expectation and then try it.  You might be amazed.

Courtesy of "But What Do We Know"

Lasting Loyalty

Napoleon Hill said a, “Lack of loyalty is one of the major causes of failure in every walk of life.” It is a very different work life than it was only a couple of generations ago.  I remember my grandfather going to work for the city where he was born and lived his entire life. He started driving a bus in his early 20s.  It was the Great Depression and everyone in the family that was old enough worked to help support the family.  Decades later he retired from the city. It was calculated that he had driven the equivalent of to the moon and back several times over.  My father, worked for 25 years for the same company.  The loyalty of an employee was earned by the way the employer rewarded such loyalty.  There were pension plans and rewards for years of service.  Times have changed along with the economics of today’s businesses, but one thing remains the same in and out of the workforce.  Loyalty is still a quality to be admired.

Chart Your Life

“Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but quickly to see how to make them good.” ~ Bertolt Brecht

One of the most important lessons life has taught me is that we have to be willing to readjust our course. Sometimes we make a mistake or things just don’t go the way we had anticipated. It is these moments we define how the outcome will go. Will we find an alternate route that takes us where we want to go or we just not proceed forward? Every person has faced situations that aren’t going their way. It is not a bias situation that only some of us experience; however, those individuals that seem to have life always go their way have just become master at charting their life with the ability to adjust to the winds of life. There is always opportunity and sometimes we have to paddle up the stream and others the wind will carry us, yet in all situations there is opportunity if in nothing more than the attitude in which we face the day and the situation. Those that face it with potential will find potential.

Dedication and Determination

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” Gail Devers

When we dedicate ourselves to a cause, a belief, a purpose driven goal, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. I believe this because of my own experience in trying to get through school. I have a sister whose IQ is much higher than mine. We both set out to get a college degree. Her heart was not in it, and she put little effort into completing what she had started. I had the opposite going for me. Even though I was not the top student in my high school and had to work hard to get decent grades, I had one thing going for me. I stuck with it no matter what. I had obstacles and setbacks, but through hard work and dedication I was able to accomplish my goal. Believe in yourself. Have a clear vision. Dedicate yourself to the work and you can achieve anything.

What We Do

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” ~
Albert Pine

When I think about why we started Waves of Gratitude I realize it was exactly what Albert Pine is saying, we were trying to do something for others. Having been put into a situation I had never been in and finding it so difficult to stay focused and not freak out over not having a job or an income I wanted something to remind me that what a think has a direct impact on what opportunities life presents me. If I could remember to be grateful for what I had then I could move towards the life I wanted to create. That was the birth of our company. From July 11 of 2007 until this moment there have been times when I have had moments of doubt, which fear has tried to step in and force me to surrender; however, I have stayed true to the course. I have realized that doors and windows have opened when I some have closed. That there have been lives affected by the jewelry we created. That we have inspired others. That there is a true value to touchstone jewelry that allows us to bridge our thoughts to our actions. 100 years from now my breath will no longer be a part of this earth; however, it is my hope that touchstones are. That people realize there is a way to remind ourselves of the thoughts we want to think in order to create the lives we want to live.

Endure to the End

When we think of the word endurance, we often think of the athlete able to run a marathon. There is the short distance sprinter who may be able to get ahead in the short run, but those with endurance will win the race that continues day in and day out.  In the words of Buddha, “Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.”  Anything worth having is worth the hard work and endurance it takes to achieve it.

Times Value

“Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci

Years ago my sister and I were sitting in the hot tub on a winter night in Arizona talking about our childhood and how time seemed to go so much slower then. As we sat there and discussed our lives we began to discover a theory. When we were ten a year was 1/10th of our life and a day was 1/3650th of our life so of course that seemed like forever. Fast forward to 21 and a day is 1/21st of our life and a day is 1/7665th so it seems shorter. Basic math teaches us the larger the fraction the smaller the size. As we live a year, a day or an hour become a smaller fraction of what we have already experienced. So time is relevant to our age. However, knowledge is also relevant. When we are a teenager we think we have all the time in the world. When we are in our mid to late 40’s we begin to realize just how quickly time does pass and that it is the one commodity we can get back once it is gone. So we tend to choose how we spend our time more. We pay more attention to what is important and less to just being a cog in the wheel. Time is a precious and we get to decide how we spend it and we get the same number of minutes in an hour at 10 or at 100. They are just a little more precious at 100.

Your Full Committment

There is a peace of mind and satisfaction in knowing you believed in something and gave it your all – 110%. Seeing something through until its full potential is realized has with it rewards that may not be measured in dollars and cents or in advancement and recognition. It is what gives us the sense of accomplishment and pride. It is the epitome of integrity. It is what differentiates contentment from satisfaction. Be committed to what you know is right and what you believe in with all your heart and your heart will lead you to know how to make your dreams your reality.

In Giving We Gain

“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” ~ William Arthur Ward

There are moments in our lives when a friend is feeling down and we try to remind them of their own qualities that make them such a great person and good friend. We take time to try to understand what they are going through to help them see their own internal strengths and beauty. In those moments of selflessness we bring forth in ourselves our own internal and true nature. The desire to lift others up, to not try to compare ourselves and let our ego get in the way, but instead to help them discover within themselves their own internal beauty. In this action we bring forth an amazing quality of caring and kindness that sometimes gets lost behind our ego and our need to compete. Gratitude and giving are the core elements or our nature and reveal to ourselves and the world our true potential.

In the Sunlight

Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. ~Benjamin Franklin

A state of panic or anxiety is completely counter productive to accomplishing one’s goals. While pressure may prompt us to act quickly, panic and worry only prompt us to act irrationally and without intention. How do we move from an initial response of panic into one where we can be proactive, not paralyzed by fear? Stop, breathe, organize your thoughts logically and rationally, then take the first step toward your intended destination.

Where Are Our Priorities?

“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

This morning my daughter was running late for a 6:30am meeting she has every week. The need to be at the meeting at 6:30 requires her to pick up a friend that doesn’t have a car and be to the school by 6:25am which means leaving here at 6:00am and I woke her up at 5:55am. The normal routine in the morning is I say its time to get up at least 3 times before she even thinks about moving. This morning though when I said, “you have to get up and by the way don’t you have a meeting?” She bolted out of the bed. This caused an immediate flash back to those morning that I worked in corporate America. I would make sure I was on time. If I had a plane to catch I would be up some mornings at 3am due to my commute to the Boston Airport. As I made a pot of coffee I thought how young we start to decide that what we do for others and the time we put in is so much more important than what we do for ourselves. We can get less sleep, squeeze more into a day for our social groups, school employers and yet somehow when it comes to us waking 10 minutes early to mediate, go for a walk, and watch a sunrise we just can’t bring ourselves to do it. Where did we get our priorities so confused? When did we stop looking forward to life with expectation of the dawn instead of at the list of priorities?

No Regrets

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -- Mark Twain

To sit on the sidelines and watch life go by is to miss out on what might have been. Even if the dream is not realized, it is better to have pursued it than to wonder, “What if…?” There may only be one opportunity to go for something you have always dreamed of. I would rather take a chance, risk everything and fail than think about how someday I will try. We often think that at some future point in our lives, when the kids are grown or we save enough money, or lose enough weight then we will pursue our dreams. Don’t wait. Do it now. Tomorrow will come and go whether or not we decide to take action or not.